As the end of the year is approaching, I find myself registering for more and more races. I tend to do the same races every year not just to try and PR on familiar courses, but because most of the races hold a special place in my heart. My first 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon.

As a mentor, we would be partnered with a girl between the ages of 10 to 13 and would lead them through the morning’s activities which included a full styling session, braiding bar, a two-mile Photo Scavenger Hunt, finish the scavenger hunt at the POPSUGAR x adidas Running Obstacle Course at the Victorian in Santa Monica, Ca., and celebrate with brunch.

I feel like I'm starting over, like my whole running journey is back on a clean slate. I'm a beginner again. How though? I ran a full marathon, but now I'm struggling to even run 3 miles. It's so crazy how quickly we can fall off by taking some time off, but that stops HERE.

Throughout training, I've tried everything to help me stay healthy and hydrated. This past month, I started hydrating with OXiGEN water and shots, not just before/after my runs, but also to keep me energized throughout the day. I used to think every water was the same, until I started noticing OXiGEN was actually helping me recover faster after my runs.